Collar stay device



Oct. 26, 1954 p COHEN d 2,692,386

COLLAR STAY DEVICE Filed Dec. 20, 1952 INVENTOR P) EYER P Co Patented Oct. 26, 1954 UNITED STATES E ATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to collar stays for use with soft shirt collars, having for a principal object the provision of an improved construction of this character which is equally useful for its purpose whether the collar is closed or opened.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a collar stay construction which affords convenient means for securing collar ornaments to the collar.

Still another object of this invention is to provide such a collar stay construction which is efiicient in use, economical in manufacture, simple in assembly and adjustable in length to correspond with that of the collar wing.

Other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, it being understood that the present invention consists substantially in the combination, construction, location and relative arrangement of parts, as described in detail hereinafter, as shown in the accompanying drawing and as finally pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view of a necktie and ornamented soft short collar, the latter having applied thereto a stay construction embodying the present invention and having one wing turned up to expose part of the stay.

Figure 2 is a rear View of the construction shown in Figure 1, both Wings of the collar being shown fully extended.

Figure 3 is similar to Figure 1, the collar ornament being in the form of a bar and the stay construction being modified.

Figure 4 is a rear view of the construction shown in Figure 3, both wings of the collar being shown fully extended.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figures 6 and 7 respectively are perspective views of the collar stay members shown in Figures 1 and 3; and

Figures 8 and 9 respectively are exploded perspective views of the construction shown in Figures 1 and 3.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Figures 1 and 3, a stay construction embodying the present invention is shown applied, for the purpose of illustration, to the soft collar Iii of a shirt of the type commonly worn by military personnel. The collar is provided with a pair of wings HIi defined by an edge l2 extending generally horizontally around the collar and merging at the tips 53-43 of the wings with a pair of generally vertically extending edges 2 M-M. The collar is conventionally provided with a necktie I5.

The means for staying one wing IE will be described, and it will be understood that the means for staying the other wing i l is independent of, and identical to, such means. Either means comprises a stay member it which underlies the wing I I, and a member H which overlies the wing II.

Referring particularly to Figure 6, the stay member It includes a head part It and a depending part I9. One of various forms that the head it may assume is disclosed in Patent No. 2,308,412 to Frederick A. Ballon, J r., and Melvin W. Moore, issued January 12, 1943, to which reference may be had for details. It should be here noted, however, that the head I3 is in the form of a securing device having a body member which is provided with a rim M, a clutch as part of the assembly, the clutch being provided with a pair of operable arms 2I2I, and a central opening (not shown) for the reception of a prong.

The depending part I9 is in the form of a pair of relatively shiftable parts 22 and 23 constantly urged into axially extended relation by a coil spring 24. The construction and assembly or" parts 22, 23 and 24 generally is the same as that of the corresponding parts disclosed in Patent No. 1,908,525 to B. B. Monaster, issued May 9, 1933, to Which reference may be had for details. It should be here noted, however, that the part 22 is a tubular element rigidly secured, as by soldering, to the rim 2%] of the body member of the head I8, being positioned thereby to extend radially therefrom in depending relation thereto, and that the coil spring 24 reacts against the head I 8 and not against a head formed on the tubular element 22.

The member I! which overlies the wing I i is in the form of an ornamental button having a pair of prongs 2525 which project from the back thereof and pierce the Wing I I. For suitably securing the member I? to the wing II, one prong 25 is projected into the headpart I8 of the stay member I6, and the other prong 25 is projected into a securing device 26 similar in every respect to that which forms the head It of the stay member I6. The latter is in contracted condition and is maintained in such condition by reason of the lower extremity thereof being engaged with the wing tip I3.

In use, the ornamental button ll is suitably positioned on the wing I I and pressed so that the prongs 25-25 thereof pierce the material. The stay member I6 is then placed in underlying relation to the wing l l, and, by the application of finger pressure upon the arms 2|-2l of the head [8, the latter is prepared to receive one of the prongs 25. The prong 25 having been projected into the head 18, the arms 2i2l of the latter are released, whereupon the prong 25 is securely clutched by the head l8. In a similar manner, the other prong 25 is projected into its securing device 26. The stay member [6 is now contracted by relative shifting of the members 22 and 23 against the force of coil spring 24. In order to maintain the member [6 in its contracted condition, the pointed lower extremity thereof is caused to pierce the wing tipl3 before the member I6 is released. Thus the coil spring 24 constantly urges the relatively shiftable parts 22 and 23 into axially extendedcondition so that the wing H is stayed against curling. For removing the stay means from the wing l I, the procedure hereinabove outlined is reversed.

. Referring particularly to Figure 7-, a modified form of the stay member I6 is disclosed. The head l8 shown in Figure 6,;is replaced by a head part .21 which is in the form of a flat plate provided with a central opening 28. In other respects the stay members of Figures 6 and *7 are alike. In use, one prong 25 .is projected through the opening .28, and then a pair of securing devices 2625 are applied respectively to the prongs 25-25 and the stay member l6 secured in place, all in the manner hereinabove indicated.

Referring particularly to Figures 3, 4 and 9, the ornamental member may be in the form of a bar 29 which bridges the space between the collar wings H! I, the opposite end portions thereof being disposed respectively over the latter and being provided respectively with a pair of prongs 25-25. In this event, each prong is engaged by a stay member I6 and its associated securing device 26, and there is no necessity for additional securing devices 26. The ornamental member may assume a form other than that shown. For example, it may comprise an elongated wire coil member provided with loops at opposite-ends, and a pair of members each including a prong projected through one of the aforementioned loops and an ornamental head. As afurther example, the ornamental member may comprise a round bar provided with opposite end portions which threadedly engage respectively a pair of ornamental members which mount prongs presenting in the same direction laterally relative to the axis of the bar.

It will be observed that'the ornamental members I! and 29 are types now generally in use, and it will be understood that either the extensible stay construction shown in Figure 6 or that shown in Figure 7 may readily be used in conjunction therewith. Furthermore, since the ornamental members are suitably positioned and the prongs thereof pressed through the wings H before any other step of the assembly procedure is undertaken, it should be apparent that placing the ornamental members is easy.

With regard to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 and 2, it will be observed that there is no crosstie extending between the stay members |6l 5,.and that for this reason the shirt collar Ill may be opened and worn in that condition without disturbing the stay members |6I6 or the ornamental members ll-ll. Al-

' thoughthe stay construction is shown applied to 'a shirt of the type commonly worn by military personnel, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the present invention to such application. In addition, it should be apparent that the member I! may assume various geometrical forms and may be provided with only one, instead of with more than one, prong 25. Still further, it will be observed that instead of the prongs 25-25 being made a part of the ornamental member I1 and the coacting clutch a part of the stay member [6, this construction could be reversed. A,

It will be understood 'that'the present invention is susceptible to various changes, modifications and applications which may be made from time to time without departing from the principles thereof and that it is intended to claim the invention broadly, as well as specifically, as indicated in=the appended claims.

I What is claimed as new and useful is:

1. In a stay construction for maintaining the wings of a collar in extended, uncurled condition, the combination comprising a pair of elongated .-members adapted :to underlie respectively the collar wings,-eachofsaidelongated members including a pairof shiftably. interconnected parts disposed :inaxially extended relation and provided respectively with a collar gripping element and a prong clutching element disposed respectively at opposite ends ofsaidelongated member, andmeans for yieldablymaintaining said pair of parts extended axially, and ornamental means adapted to closely overlie the collar fabric and provided'with a pair-ofcollar wing piercing prongs extending rearwardly therefrom,said pair of prongs being projectedrespectively into the clutch elements and :being detachably clutched thereby.

2. In a stay construction for maintainingthe wings of a collar in extended, uncurled condition, the 'combinationcomprising a pair of elongated members adapted to underlie respectively the collar wings, each of saidelongated members including a .pair of .shiftablyinterconnected parts disposed in axially extended :relation and provided respectively with a collar gripping element and a prong clutching :element disposed respectively at opposite ends of said elongated member, and a coil spring'wrapped around'said elongated. member and arranged for yieldably maintaining said pair of parts extended axially, and an elongated ornamental member the opposite end portions of which are'adapted to closely .overlie respectively the collar wings, each ofsaidend portions being provided with a collar wing piercing prong extending .rearwardly therefrom, .said prong being projectedintozthe associated .one of said clutch elements .and being detachably clutched thereby.

3. In a stay construction'for maintainingthe wings of a collar in extended, uncurled condition, the combination comprising a pair of elongated members adapted vto underlie respectively the collar Wings, each :of said elongated members including a pair of shiftably interconnected parts disposed in axially extended relation and provided respectively with a collar gripping element and an apertured head disposed respectively at opposite ends of said elongated member, and a coil spring wrapped around said elongated member and arranged for yieldably maintaining said pair of parts extended axially, an elongated ornamental member the opposite end portions of which are adapted to closely overlie respectively the collar wings, each of said end portions being provided with a collar wing piercing prong extending rearwardly therefrom, and a pair .of prong clutching elements, said prongs being each freely projected through the associated apertured Number Name Date head aforesaid and into one of said clutch ele- 2,508,126 Turner May 16, 1950 ments, being detachably clutched by the latter. 2,620,481 Florkewicz Dec. 9, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS References C1ted 1n the file of this patent Number Country D ate UNITED STATES PATENTS 367,453 France Oct. 20, 1906 Number Name Date 423,046 France Apr. 5, 1911 811,326 Reynolds Jan. 30, 1906 331.373 Italy 5, 1935 2,425,872 Forsland Aug. 19, 1947 10 107,870 Sweden May 13, 1943 

